Water and Emergency Preparedness

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter

During emergency situations, life can be challenging. People will typically forget to eat and drink. Our bodies are set up to shut down non-necessary organs to help preserve our lives. Unfortunately, when we forget to drink water (especially during emergencies)issues arise that could endanger our lives.

One of the symptoms of dehydration is confusion or lack of clear thought.

Now think about this: By the time our brains say "hey, your thirsty" you are in a water deficit and quite probably dehydrated!

So what should you be doing?

1. Drink Early, Drink Often! When I was mountain climbing and backpacking, we always started the morning by drinking a quart of water and then took drink breaks frequently.

2. Realize that you (and most of the general population) are in a dehydrated state as we speak. Keep a log of how much water you drink during the day and you will be shocked. Remember, if you drink a cup of coffee or soda, it takes twice the amount of water to rehydrate (for example: if you drink 1-12oz can of soda, you will need 24 oz of water to get you back to where you should be water wise!) I was reading an interview about a marathon runner several years back. He did the water log and determined he was not drinking enough. He made it a habit to drink water every time he passed a water fountain at work. After a few weeks of this, he realized that his performance increased (faster times)!

3. Avoid strait sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc.) These things have too much sugar/sucrose/sweeteners to start with. If you are using these drinks for electrolyte replacement, be sure to dilute them to 50% water 50% sports drink. They may not taste as good, but it is way better for you. Remember, the Manufacturers are pushing the flavor.

and

4. Make sure you have plenty of water to drink in storage. When you are planning for drinking water, plan for 1 gallon per person per day. Seems like a lot, but you also need to make sure to have water for hand washing, etc. The water needs to be clean and stored properly (a later blog). Also, you should have a water treatment plan so that you are ready in case your stored water gets a little funky!

Please, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here